Thug is a loaded word, and pot is not something I associate with it.
To compare the two, though, KEA and Rip messed up once and learned from it - either by abandoning the activity altogether, or perhaps more likely, by making sure they were smarter about not putting themselves in situations where they could be caught.
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel has messed this up 3 times in 3 years (assuming that the suspension for team rules was in the same vein). Had his two arrests happened the other way around, I'd be more sympathetic. First time, out and about with contraband, carelessly breaking traffic laws, putting yourself in a bad situation, and second time, being in your dorm minding your own business and being unlucky enough to be caught by overzealous campus police. Then at least you could say that you tried to learn some lessons. But he did it the other way around and was more reckless the second time.
My theory - and only a theory - was that at UConn, he and his boys from home were being s to other students in the dorm, and one of them said "f these guys" and called campus police, who are always happy to bust an athlete any time (never mind a few weeks after a title). It's pretty hard to get busted for pot by police while in your dorm, even on spring party weekend, unless you call attention to yourself. Maybe they were bullying someone, stole some Cheetos, etc.
Oh well. He may have thrown his career away, but at least he can sit around the porch someday and tell stories about his clutch timeout.
